Team

In addition to serving publishers and writers directly, Edit Resource serves as a vendor for independent contractors. In this capacity, we connect publishers and projects with writers and editors. We’re proud to work with some of the most highly respected independent writers and editors in publishing.

To see if we can connect you with one of the following service providers, please contact us.

Nat Akin

Specialties: developmental and substantive editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading for nonfiction and fiction.

Bio»

Nat has over 20 years of editorial experience, providing developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading for more than 300 titles put out by Thomas Nelson, NavPress, InterVarsity Press, Baker, and other publishers. He began his career as the sole editor and book designer for Cool Springs Press, a small trade press in Franklin, Tennessee. Since then, he has edited and designed more than 40 literary anthologies. Nat is a writer of literary fiction and the recipient of a 2018 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Creative Writing.

Whitney Bak

Whitney has worked as a freelance proofreader and copyeditor on titles put out by Worthy Publishing, Thomas Nelson, W Publishing Group, and WestBow Press as well as a number of independent and self-publishing houses. She has worked on books by best-selling authors including Jerry B. Jenkins, Mike Huckabee, and Don Colbert and music artists Matthew West and Joel and Luke Smallbone.

Since 2015 she has gained experience as a copywriter and digital content marketer for publishing houses such as 1517 Media and for universities and marketing firms as well as a number of pop culture personalities and bloggers. This work has included setting up and facilitating book launch teams and improving the SEO of blogs and websites.

Her areas of expertise include Christian fiction and nonfiction, travelogues, memoirs, self-help books, young adult fantasy fiction, and literary fiction.

Christina Boys

Christina has 20 years of experience as an editor with Hachette Book Group and Simon & Schuster, acquiring and editing in a wide range of fiction and nonfiction categories for both the mainstream and Christian markets. She has edited New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestsellers, and award-winning books. She also created a series of derivative works from backlist titles that has sold over 1.5 million copies. Authors she has worked with include Neil Abramson, Bob Barker, Ted Dekker, Philip Gulley, Florence Henderson, Robert Hicks, Mike Huckabee, Charles Martin, John C. Maxwell, Leslie Sansone, Lauraine Snelling, and The Grand Ole Opry.

Marcus Brotherton

Specialties: nonfiction collaboration, Christian living, and memoir.

Bio»

Marcus Brotherton is a New York Times-bestselling author and collaborative writer known for his books with high-profile public figures, humanitarians, inspirational leaders, and military personnel. He has authored or coauthored more than 25 books and substantively edited more than 35 others. Notable projects include books with Louie Giglio, Ravi Zacharias, Robert Morris, Doug Fields, Wayne Cordeiro, Francis Chan, NFL quarterback Colt McCoy, fashion journalist Lauren Scruggs Kennedy, quadruple amputee and Afghan combat veteran Travis Mills, civil rights activist Martha Hawkins, and the elite WWII paratroopers featured in HBO’s Band of Brothers.

Marcus is the recipient of a Christy Award for writing excellence, an Editor’s Choice distinction from the Historical Novel Society, and a Christopher Award for literature that “affirms the highest value of the human spirit.”

Susan Brower

Sue Brower has nearly 30 years of experience within the Christian publishing industry, including 25 years at Zondervan, where she served as senior director of marketing and then as executive editor for trade fiction and nonfiction.

Sue’s award-winning and bestselling author portfolio includes Karen Kingsbury, Terri Blackstock, Amy Clipston, Robin Lee Hatcher, Bodie and Brock Thoene, Tim LaHaye, Camy Tang, and Brandilyn Collins. She has received ACFW’s Editor of the Year and AWSA’s Golden Scroll Fiction Editor of the Year awards.
Now an independent editor, Sue is proficient at the big-picture skills of developmental/substantive editing for fiction and narrative nonfiction. In addition, she enjoys author coaching/brainstorming, manuscript review, contest and pitch critique, and proposal writing for all genres. With her extensive marketing and editorial background, Sue enjoys coming alongside authors to provide encouragement, critique, and constructive review of all materials presented for agents and publishers.

Michelle Burford

Specialty: celebrity memoir collaboration.

Bio»

Michelle is a founding editor of The Oprah Magazine and a seasoned memoir collaborator. She has co-authored eight memoirs and four New York Times bestsellers, two of which debuted at number one.

Michelle holds a master’s degree in educational psychology from Harvard University. She has also studied at Oxford University, The Sorbonne, and The Radcliffe Publishing Course.

Julie Cantrell

Specialties: developmental, substantive, and line editing for fiction and narrative nonfiction; original writing; collaborative writing

Bio»

Julie is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling novelist with decades of experience working as both a writer and editor. She has penned two historical novels and two contemporary novels, earning starred reviews and numerous awards. She also has served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review, published two children's books, and contributed to more than 20 anthologies, devotionals, and nonfiction works.

As a freelance writer and editor for nearly 20 years, Julie has provided content for numerous companies as well as edited books for publishers and authors. A fan of upmarket fiction and creative nonfiction, she enjoys helping shape inspiring stories that celebrate the resiliency of the human spirit.

Jamie Chavez

Specialties: developmental, substantive, and line editing for fiction and nonfiction; editing and development of children’s and YA books; Irish content.

Bio»

Jamie worked for more than 10 years in the Christian publishing industry with Thomas Nelson Publishers before becoming a freelance editor in 2004. She’s edited some of the best, including novelists Cynthia Ruchti, Nancy Rue, Jenny B. Jones, and Deborah Raney as well as nonfiction authors Rachel Held Evans, Arron Chambers, Michael Hyatt, Cindy Morgan, and Michelle Ule, to name just a few. She enjoys the collaborative nature of editing and finds long-term relationships especially rewarding because the author and editor know each other’s hearts. And years of life with her Irish husband have made Jamie an expert at Irish slang, history, culture, characters, and milieu.

Books Jamie has edited have become New York Times best sellers and Christy and Carol award winners. The Advanced Writers and Speakers Association named her 2016 Fiction Editor of the Year.

Joanna Echols

Specialties: developmental and substantive editing for young adult and children’s books.

Bio»

Joanna served on the award-winning children’s magazine team at Focus on the Family for more than 12 years. During that time, she worked with dozens of authors, including Nancy Rue, Brock Eastman, Jonathan Friesen, Torry Martin, Crystal Bowman, Bob Smiley, and Sally Lloyd-Jones. As the senior associate editor of Clubhouse Jr. magazine, Joanna taught at several writers’ conferences, including Mount Hermon and the Oregon Christian Writers Summer Coaching Conference. She loves catching the vision for a project and bringing out the unique gifts of each author.

Kate Etue

Specialties: copyediting both fiction and nonfiction, copywriting, and collaborative writing (with a focus on group curriculum).

Bio»

Kate is a former editor at Thomas Nelson Publishers with more than 15 years’ experience in the book publishing industry, including winning a Gold Medallion Award for her work on the teen Bible Revolve. She has edited and written everything from children’s books to group curriculum, and she’s worked with many high-profile authors, including Billy Graham, Max Lucado, Women of Faith, John Eldredge, Brian McLaren, Francis Chan, and others.

Rachelle Gardner

During her 20 years in publishing, Rachelle has worked in-house at two publishing companies and has worked directly with authors on hundreds of books. As a freelance editor, she’s been hired by dozens of individual writers as well as by publishers, including HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Random House. She has edited numerous books that went on to win awards such as Publishers Weekly Best Books of the year, Library Journal Best Books of the year, Carol Awards, Christy Awards, and the ECPA Christian Book Award.

As a literary agent, Rachelle has negotiated 200+ contracts with publishers and has worked with more than 100 authors to bring their books to publication. She coaches writers through their journey, including conceptualizing and writing books, building platforms, leveraging social media, and navigating all aspects of the publishing business. She is happy to offer coaching to writers who don’t currently have an agent.

Jennifer Gingerich

Jennifer is an editor with fifteen years’ experience in book and content publishing. She spent five years as a managing editor for Thomas Nelson Publishers, then transitioned to freelance work, managing and editing books and curriculum for various clients. Most recently she worked for five years at Ramsey Solutions (Dave Ramsey’s company), where she first led a small copyediting team and grew to lead the content development team of more than thirty writers and editors. She transitioned back to freelance editing in 2018.

She has worked with various authors and brands, including Dave Ramsey, Chris Hogan, Rachel Cruze, Christy Wright, Big Idea’s VeggieTales, and the Read and Share Bible curriculum.

Allen Harris

Specialties: nonfiction book collaborative writing, manuscript repair (substantive editing and rewrites), and new book development.

Bio»

Allen Harris is a multi-number-one New York Times bestselling writer, editor, and collaborator. He has worked closely with many high-profile authors, including Dave Ramsey, Charles Stanley, Jay Sekulow, Rachel Cruze, Chris Hogan, Christy Wright, and more. Allen moved into editorial work full-time in 2017 after an eleven-year tenure with Dave Ramsey’s company, where he established and led Ramsey Solutions’s content development department.

An accomplished writer, collaborator, and substantive editor, Allen has worked on ten national bestsellers and has published more than one thousand articles, workbook studies, and devotional pieces since 2000.

Erin Healy

Specialties: author coaching and fiction developmental and line editing.

Bio»

Erin has 25 years of experience as a developmental editor of fiction and nonfiction manuscripts. She is the author of 10 novels published by Thomas Nelson and has edited books for Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, Simon & Schuster, and other publishers. She has worked with authors such as Jane Kirkpatrick, William Paul Young, Ted Dekker, Tosca Lee, Colleen Coble, Kristen Heitzman, and James Scott Bell. She was named Fiction Editor of the Year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.

Liz Heaney

Some of the publishing houses that continue to offer Liz assignments include Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Baker, and David C. Cook. Liz has edited for Max Lucado, Christine Caine, Paul Miller, Tricia Goyer, Brennan Manning, Shannon Ethridge, Nicole Johnson, Phil Gulley, Joyce Myers, Carol Kent, John Townsend and Henry Cloud, and Linda Dillow—many of whom have requested her for multiple projects. Many of the books she has worked on have been acknowledged in the New York Times best-seller lists and other industry indexes.

Liz began her career more than 30 years ago as an in-house editor at Multnomah Press. She became an independent contractor in 1992, specializing in books on spirituality, Christian living, marriage and family, counseling, and women’s issues. The main focus of Liz’s editorial coaching is to empower authors—helping them express their unique ideas in their own voices.

Liz is a founding member of the Academy of Christian Editors.

Meredith Sloan Hinds

Meredith Sloan Hinds writes and edits for publishers, published authors, and writers seeking publication. She collaborates with her father, John Sloan, and works on developing projects as well as manuscripts ready for content and substantive work. She has taught professionally about the elements of good writing and the ways narrative and nonfiction work together.

Meredith not only enjoys reading and writing narrative but also believes nonfiction writers can be helped to write this way so that nonfiction can become as popular a read as books in our fiction categories. Her teaching and her editing make use of narrative devices such as plot, character, scene, and story. Most of all, Meredith wants her authors to discover their own voices before a writing project is finished.

Matt Hutton

Matt is a fiction writer, essayist, poet, and songwriter. He earned his master’s degree in theology at Harvard University and his bachelor’s in English and religion at the University of Vermont. In a former life, he was a Warner Brothers recording artist as singer-songwriter of The Red Telephone. Matt is currently earning his MFA at the Sewanee School of Letters and completing a novel. He lives in Nashville with his wife and two sons.

Karli Jackson

Karli began her career in the rights department at HarperCollins Christian Publishing and then transitioned to the editorial team, where she nurtured relationships with authors and helped them shape and create their stories. Her editing credits include New York Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors such as Rachel Hauck, Lauren Denton, and Denise Hunter. During her time as an acquisitions editor, she worked closely with authors from the development of a story idea through its substantive edit and onward to titling, packaging, and jacket copy. Karli is a native of Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her family.

Lori Jones

Lori Jones has served as an editor, writer, and publishing consultant for more than 15 years. A former senior editor for Thomas Nelson, Lori has been an independent editor since 1996 and is able to shepherd a publishing project at any point from inception to finished work.

James Lund

James is a collaborator, editor, and author who enjoys helping others develop their voice and message. He has worked with best-selling authors, public figures, and ministry leaders, including Max Lucado, Randy Alcorn, Jim Daly, George Foreman, Kathy Ireland, Dr. James and Shirley Dobson, Dennis and Barbary Rainey, Kim Meeder, and Shaunti Feldhahn. Other notable projects include books with Taliban kidnap victim Dr. Dilip Joseph, NFL Hall of Famers Tim Brown and Bruce Matthews, Pearl Harbor survivor Jim Downing, and pastor and Grammy-nominated vocalist Wintley Phipps.

A former Multnomah Publishers editor and newspaper journalist, James has collaborated on more than 30 books, with sales exceeding three million copies. Three of his projects have earned the Christian Book Award (formerly Gold Medallion Award) from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

Ami McConnell

Ami McConnell is passionate about creating books that readers will devour. Her editing credits include many New York Times bestsellers and RITA, Carol, and Christy award winners. She’s edited books by such beloved authors as Colleen Coble, Ted Dekker, Homer Hickam, Denise Hunter, Karen Kingsbury, Tosca Lee, Max Lucado, Frank Peretti, Sheila Walsh, and Wm. Paul Young. Her work has been recognized for excellence by the American Christian Fiction Writers and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She served on the advisory board of The Buechner Institute at King College as well as the Women's National Book Association, Nashville chapter. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.

Traci Mullins

Traci Mullins has more than 30 years’ experience in coaching, editing, book doctoring, and collaborating on hundreds of nonfiction books, helping authors and speakers to formulate and convey messages close to their hearts in an accessible and compelling style. She has helped launch the careers of many first-time writers as well as developed long-term coaching relationships with veterans of the trade. She specializes in developing titles on topics of spirituality, psychology, relationships, health and wellness, and memoir and considers it a privilege to shepherd authors through the concept-shaping and writing process.

Robin Schmitt

Robin has been a freelance writer and editor in Christian publishing for over 20 years. He is the author of the bestselling NIV Adventure Bible Book of Devotions and coauthor of The Adventure Bible Handbook. He has written or contributed to several inspirational gift books, including Hallmark’s Married for Life. He’s also experienced at writing back ad copy, catalog copy, and downloadable sermon outlines for children’s pastors. Robin has edited many fiction and nonfiction titles for adults, teens, and children, by authors such as Lee Strobel, David Browning, Scott Rae, Richard Hansen, and Stephen and Misty Arterburn. He has a reputation for thoroughness and excellence, a teacher’s heart, and a knack for seeing the forest and the trees.

Caroline Schofield

Specialty: copywriting.

Bio»

Caroline developed her writing craft under the tutelage of novelist Barry Hannah at the University of Mississippi. She began her career as a publicity assistant at the independent publisher Grove Atlantic, where she was part of the team that launched Cold Mountain to the New York Times bestseller list. Caroline enjoys writing screenplays, children’s books, and persuasive back cover copy for both fiction and nonfiction from her home in New York City.

Julee Schwarzburg

Specialties: substantive editing, line editing, and copy editing for adult and teen fiction.

Bio»

Julee Schwarzburg has worked in Christian publishing for nearly 30 years through in-house positions with Tyndale House, Multnomah Publishers, and WaterBrook Multnomah. She has been a freelancer since 2008. She’s received the Golden Scrolls Fiction Editor of the Year Award twice from Advanced Writers and Speakers Association as well as the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Editor of the Year Award.

Julee is proficient at the big-picture assessment of substantive/macro editing and the particulars of line editing and copyediting. She comes alongside a novelist to walk the tightrope of encouragement and challenge, to both honor where that author is and push him or her to a higher level of craftsmanship.

Several novels Julee has edited have become CBA bestsellers and have won Christy and Carol awards. She has had the privilege of working with such talented storytellers as Melody Carlson, Amy Clipston, Colleen Coble, Robin Jones Gunn, Dee Henderson, Ronie Kendig, James Rubart, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and Mary Weber.

John Sloan

John has worked for 40 years in publishing as an acquiring, executive, and developmental editor. He specializes in nonfiction essay and narrative nonfiction, including memoir and autobiography. He has worked on books with Philip Yancey, Frederick Buechner, Walt Wangerin, Chuck Swindoll, Chuck Colson, Joni Eareckson Tada, Lee Strobel, Ravi Zacharias, Gary Thomas, and John Ortberg.

Using editorial experience and creativity, John guides authors through book organization for proposals and final writings. His personal coaching techniques include book mapping, blueprinting, and a rigorous look at the undercarriage of a book manuscript. He gives authors the basics of book development, then uses back-paneling, or reverse storyboarding, to shape the theme of their narrative. And John believes that discovering the author’s voice is key to the writing plan.

Margot Starbuck

Margot is the author of six books, including The Girl in the Orange Dress, and a collaborator on many others. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Westmont College and an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. As an editor and writer, Margot has a reputation for excellence and a commitment to swift delivery. She has worked with numerous publishers as well as with authors such as James Merritt, Chrystal Evans Hurst, and Lisa Sharon Harper. Margot has a particular passion for the overlooked in society and lives in a neighborhood built around friends who have disabilities.

Linda Washington

Linda served as a curriculum editor at David C Cook, a fiction reviewer at Tyndale House, and a senior project editor for Livingstone. She has authored or co-authored numerous fiction and nonfiction books for kids, teens, and adults, including Inside the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and a Bible storybook for the Museum of the Bible. Linda received a bachelor’s degree in English from Northwestern University and master’s in fine arts degree from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Thomas Womack

Specialties: author coaching, collaborative writing, and developmental and substantive editing, especially involving books that are intellectually serious about the Bible, theology, and the living reality of Christ as well as memoirs and business and leadership books.

Bio»

Thomas has been editing books full time for nearly four decades, concentrating on the categories of Christian living, popular theology, ministry, Bible study, devotionals, marriage and family, leadership, business, memoirs, fiction, and children’s books.

He has held senior editing positions over the years with NavPress, Multnomah, and WaterBrook Press. Since 2008, he has served as a freelance editor working for several publishers as well as churches and individual authors. He has been privileged to work with noted authors, including Jerry Bridges, J. I. Packer, Randy Alcorn, C. J. Mahaney, Ruth Myers, Henry Blackaby, Thelma Wells, Andy Stanley, John Maxwell, David Jeremiah, Kay Arthur, Joshua Harris, Ken Blanchard, Larry Crabb, and numerous others.

Thomas is also the author of 20 children’s books and a three-time winner of the Christian Book Award (formerly the Gold Medallion Award) from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

Estee Zandee

Having graduated with a degree in professional writing from Taylor University, Estee is a former editorial assistant and backlist editor at Zondervan. She has 10 years of experience in the publishing industry, doing macro editing, writing, brand and project managing, and book concept development. Estee creates and edits content for ancillary products and has thorough experience in back ad and catalog copy writing. She has worked with such clients as Candace Cameron Bure, Dr. John Townsend, Randy Frazee, Mark Batterson, Guideposts, and Compassion International.

Addie Zierman

Specialties: copywriting and author coaching.

Bio»

Addie holds an MFA from Hamline University and is the author of two memoirs: When We Were on Fire and Night Driving, the former named a Top 5 Religious Book of 2013 by Publishers Weekly. Her work has appeared in MOPS Magazine, Relevant Magazine, Christianity Today, and the NIV Bible for Women. She also writes a popular blog and a monthly advice column called “Ask Addie” at Off the Page—a Millennial-geared ministry of Our Daily Bread.

Addie is passionate about helping others find their way in online spaces while staying true to their unique voice and story. She also regularly writes the bios, website copy, and back cover copy that are necessary for carving out a book author’s “presence” and platform. In addition, she works closely with other writers to clarify their book’s direction, uncover its structure, and push through to the underlying themes that connect us all.